Caring is Not An Advantage
by Mary Russell-Holmes
Summary: A trip to Vienna takes a turn for the worst and Molly finds herself in the middle of an assassination plot. But the conspirators have something very dear to Molly- her children. If she says nothing, her children live, if she talks... Will our favorite pathologist choose her children or her husband?
1. Chapter 1

"Molly dear." Lily Hooper hugged her daughter as she entered the house.

"Hi Mum," Molly smiled and returned her mother's hug. "I brought the kids." She said, breaking the embrace after a moment. Lily's attention then turned to her three grandchildren. Molly's smile grew wider and she entered the house.

"Hey! Molly!" Her older brother, Robert exclaimed.

"Hey Rob. Hey Kat." Molly waved to her sister-in-law.

"Hi Molly."

"Aunt Mowwy!" Neal cried, wiggling out of his mother's embrace to go hug his aunt.

"Hi Neal!" Molly picked up her nephew. "How are you?"

"I'm good. I'm getting a wittwe sister!"

Molly looked at her brother and sister-in-law. They nodded.

"Congratulations!" She smiled.

"Yes, it's wonderful, isn't it?" A new voice said.

Molly stiffened a little, but regained her composure and set Neal down.

"Hello Regina."

"Molly."

Molly and Regina Hooper had never gotten along.

Seven years ago when Regina had gotten engaged to Peter Tyler, she had just gloated over the fact that she was getting married before her older sister. Molly had distanced herself from her family that year.

And she was so happy she had. That year she had met Sherlock and his older brother.

"Is Mycroft with you?" Regina asked, knowing full well what the answer was.

"No, he has business in Vienna." Molly replied as calmly as she could.

"What a shame…did his assistant go with him?"

"Regina," Robert said warningly.

"It's alright, Rob," Molly said before turning back to her sister. "No actually, she has the weekend off. It's her boyfriend's birthday on Sunday." Regina fell silent. Molly would never admit this to her sister, but she was sad Mycroft wasn't there. He didn't know her family as well as Molly would've liked, but his job kept him busy.

This had worried Molly when the kids were younger. She didn't want them to grow up without their father around very much. Luckily this was not a problem. Mycroft had worked this out when Molly was pregnant with their first child. Whenever he had to go out of the country, which was quiet often, he would simply take his family with him. That way if whatever he had to do was of the utmost secrecy especially to prying eyes, it would just seem like Mycroft Holmes was on a family vacation. However, sometimes, such as this case, it was not possible. Molly didn't mind too much, he was only going to be gone a couple of days and the kids liked spending time with their grandmother's.

Mycroft and Molly had three children. Chester Basil Holmes was the oldest at six. He looked very much like his father, but his eyes were Molly's. Vivian Guinevere Holmes was next at four, she was almost the spitting image of her mother, but had her father's nose and brains. The youngest, Cassandra Eleonora Holmes, was two. Cassandra looked very much like Molly when she was younger.

"So Rob, Kat, have you thought of any-" Molly started, but her phone went off. "Sorry." She said, rising to her feet and exiting the room.

"Hello?"

"Molly."

"Mycroft what is it, what's wrong?"

"I need you to go home. Take the children and go home. Anthea will arrive shortly after and she will explain more. That's all I can say right now. I'm sorry."

"What? Mycroft-" But he had hung up. Molly was sorely tempted to just ignore him, but she knew that would be a mistake.

With a sigh, Molly reentered the living room. "Mum, I'm sorry, but I need to go."

"What? Why?" Lily demanded.

"I don't know, to be honest, but I just got a call from Mycroft. It sounds important."

* * *

"Why did we have to leave Grandma's early?" Chester asked when they got in the car.

"Chess, I told you, I don't know. Your father called me and asked me to go home."

"But I thought Papa was in Vienna." Vivian said.

"He is. That's what worries me."

There was no more talking for the rest of the ride and twenty minutes later, they reached their home.

The familiar black car was already waiting.

Molly helped her children out of their family car, and into Mycroft's business car. Anthea was sitting, texting on her phone.

"Anthea, what is this all about?"

Her husband's assistant looked up from her phone. She glanced at the kids before answering. "I can't tell you now."

* * *

They reached Heathrow Airport about half an hour later. Anthea led the family to Mycroft's private jet. Once they were inside, Molly ushered the children into a small bedroom for their nap. Once they were asleep, she rejoined Anthea in the lounge.

"Now, what is this all about?" Molly demanded.

"I don't know." Anthea replied. "I just got a text that said 'Bring Molly and co. to Vienna –MH' that's all I know. Try to rest, we'll know in two hours." Anthea went back to her phone.

Molly tried to take her advice, but her mind wouldn't rest. Finally, the plane touched down in Vienna and Molly hurried to the back to wake up her children.

"Come on," She said, shaking them gently. "We're going to see Papa."

This got Vivian and Chester up, but Cassandra still just wanted to sleep. Molly chuckled and then picked her youngest daughter up. The four followed Anthea off the plane and into, yet another, black Mercedes.

"Papa!" Vivian cried upon entering the car. Mycroft was sitting by the window and Molly could tell something was wrong, but he smiled when he saw his children. Chester was the next in the car and he crawled into the seat across from his father. Vivian and Chester immediately started rambling about school as Molly took the seat next to her son. She then gently set Cassandra, still asleep, in the seat next to her and fastened her seatbelt. After a few minutes Molly felt her eyelids grow heavy, but she forced herself to stay awake.

"How much longer?" Chester yawned, leaning against the window.

"Another forty minutes, I'd say." Mycroft replied. Within the next ten, Chester and Vivian were out like lights.

"Mycroft what's going on?" Molly demanded as soon as she was sure her children were asleep.

"This is just a precaution. Nothing is wrong…yet."

"What does-"

"Molly, please, I don't want to talk about it here." He motioned to the children. "I'll tell you more later."

No more was said for the rest of the car ride.

* * *

Molly woke with a start as the car pulled into the driveway.

"Are we here?" Chester asked groggily.

"Yes, son, we are." Mycroft replied.

Molly gently woke up her daughters and the family exited the car.

Upon entering the house, the five were greeted by a butler.

"Thank you for waiting, Franz." Mycroft said. "But I think we're going to go straight to sleep. So you may retire as well."

"Very good, sir." The butler nodded, and then turned to Molly. "Welcome to Vienna, Mrs. Holmes." He offered her a kind smile, which she returned.

Once she got upstairs, Molly put her children to sleep immediately.

They were asleep before she turned their light off. After words, Molly went straight to her room.

Mycroft was already in bed reading.

"What is this all about?" She asked.

The elder Holmes looked up at his wife. "Molly, it's late, why don't we all try to sleep and I shall explain all in the morning."

"Mycroft, you prom-"

"Dearest, I've had a very difficult day. I would much prefer to reveal all after a good night's sleep."

Molly sighed. "Oh very well."

"Thank you."

The pathologist went into the bathroom and changed quickly. As she climbed into bed she suddenly realized how exhausted she was.

"Tired?" He teased.

"Be quiet and turn off the light." Molly groaned. Mycroft laughed softly and hit the light switch

Molly felt his arm wrap around her. "Goodnight dearest."

"Goodnight love." She yawned.

A few minutes later Molly was on the brink of sleep when she heard glass breaking and a scream.

Cassandra's scream.

Without a second thought, Molly jumped out of bed and ran to her children's bedroom Her husband was right behind her.

But it was too late.

All three children were gone.

* * *

**Woo! New story! Hope y'all liked it, I'll try to post chapter 2 soon. **

**~Kate**


	2. Chapter 2

Needless to say, Molly was hysterical.

"Molly, you need to calm-"

"_How can calm down when my children have just been kidnapped?!"_ Molly shrieked. "We have to find them! We have to-" She collapsed into a pile of sobs. Mycroft knelt beside his wife. "Molly, I promise I will do everything in my power to get them back, but you need to calm down."

Molly let out a few more cries, before she took a deep breath and looked up at him. "Who would take them?"

Mycroft didn't meet her eyes. "I don't know."

"I don't believe that for a second, Mycroft Holmes."

"Molly it's late-"

"No! You're going to tell me who took my children." From the tone of her voice, Mycroft knew insisting otherwise would be foolish.

"Very well."

And he began to tell the tale.

* * *

"Did you give them the sedative?"

"They're not even ten, I'm not giving them the sedative."

"Why not?"

"Because I've seen this sedative take down guys bigger then me. No way am I giving it to a kid."

"Aw, I didn't know you cared about kids."

"I've got two of my own, as well you know."

"Yeah and I'm not asking you to give _them _the sedative."

"I would hope not! They're your kids too."

"But these aren't my kids. They're the Iceman's."

"Don't you think you should Holmes a new nickname? He's got a wife and three kids, his heart isn't made of ice."

"I wouldn't be so sure. He'd still sacrifice all four of them if necessary."

"Molly Hooper maybe, but the kids? No. Even you wouldn't do that."

"Well…."

"JAMES MORIARTY DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME YOU WOULD SACRAFICE ARE KIDS FOR SOME STUPID MISSION."

Jim let out a laugh. "Of course not, Seb. I wouldn't even sacrifice you, but I do have a reputation to uphold, thank you very much."

"Why did you want the kids anyway?"

"Insurance. Now we're almost there right?"

"Yup."

A few minutes later, Sebastian Moran pulled into the driveway of Mycroft Holmes.

* * *

"About six months ago I found a note on my desk, it was a threat, of course. It warned me that the worst was coming. I did everything I could to figure out who sent the note. And I think I did, but not soon enough. Two of my colleagues have been murdered. Another note was left beside the second body. It said 'two done, one to go'. We are still trying to figure out who the next victim will be. I tracked the murders to Vienna, but obviously they knew I was onto them."

Molly was about to say something when there was a knock on the door.

"The police are here, Mr. Holmes." Franz said.

"Thank you," Mycroft turned back to his wife. "Stay here, I'll take care of this." Molly nodded and Mycroft followed Franz out the room.

"I'm sorry all this had to happen." A familiar high-pitched voice said. Molly spun around to face Jim Moriarty and Sebastian Moran standing on her balcony.

"Where are my children?" She demanded. Molly didn't even have to ask, she knew the pair had taken her kids.

"They're fine." Jim assured her.

"Somehow I don't find that reassuring."

"Well you should," Sebastian said. "Because their safety depends on you."

"I don't follow." Molly tried.

"Oh yes you do, Mrs. Holmes." Jim said. "Don't play stupid. You know exactly what we mean."

"The two men that died were Robin Locksley and Richard Gold," Sebastian continued. "The second and third most powerful men in Britain. It's not a hard to figure that next on the list is one Mycroft Holmes."

"W-why are you telling me this?" Molly asked.

"We aren't telling you, we're merely confirming your suspicions." Moriarty said. "Now how this turns out is all on you."

"W-what?"

"You're the only person who knows Mycroft is next on the list. So you have two choices." Moran started. "One, you warn your husband,"

"But then you'll never seen your kids again," Jim interrupted. "Or two, you say nothing and get your kids back."

"But my husband will be dead." Molly finished, her head reeling.

"Precisely…well it was nice talking to you, Molly. See you around." Moriarty jumped around the railing and Moran followed suit. Molly hoped they broke their necks, but she knew they wouldn't.

* * *

"I didn't think you'd still be up." Mycroft said. It was around three in the morning and Molly was sitting on the bed staring into the darkness.

"I couldn't sleep…" She whispered. Her husband crossed the room, concern written all over his face. "Are you alright?"

"My children have been kidnapped, of course I'm not alright."

"We'll find them, I promise." Mycroft told her as he settled in bed. As soon as the light was out, Molly threw her arms around him.

"Molly you're starting to scare me." He said, returning the hug nonetheless.

"I'm just worried something's going to happen to you next." She said, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Nothing's going to happen to me, dearest."

_I wish I knew that for certain. _Molly thought miserably.

* * *

**Which would you guys pick? **

**~Kate**


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